A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Arnav asked him, "If I give youone apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?
"Within a few seconds Arnav replied confidently, "Four!"
The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three).
She was disappointed. "Maybe the child did not listen properly," she
thought. She repeated, "Arnav, listen carefully.. If I give you one
apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?"
She was disappointed. "Maybe the child did not listen properly," she
thought. She repeated, "Arnav, listen carefully.. If I give you one
apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?"
Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher's face. She calculated
again on his fingers. But within her she was also searching for the answer
that will make the teacher happy. Her search for the answer was not for
the correct one, but the one that will make her teacher happy. This time
hesitatingly she replied, "Four."
again on his fingers. But within her she was also searching for the answer
that will make the teacher happy. Her search for the answer was not for
the correct one, but the one that will make her teacher happy. This time
hesitatingly she replied, "Four."
The disappointment stayed on the teacher's face. She remembered that
Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe she doesn't like apples and
that is making her loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement
and twinkling in her eyes she asked, "If I give you one strawberry and one
strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?"
Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe she doesn't like apples and
that is making her loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement
and twinkling in her eyes she asked, "If I give you one strawberry and one
strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?"
Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on her fingers again.
There was no pressure on her, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her
new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Arnav enquired,
"Three?"
There was no pressure on her, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her
new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Arnav enquired,
"Three?"
The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She
wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again
she asked her, "Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more
apple how many will you have?"
wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again
she asked her, "Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more
apple how many will you have?"
Promptly Arnav answered, "Four!"
The teacher was aghast. "How Arnav, how?" she demanded in a little stern
and irritated voice.
and irritated voice.
In a voice that was low and hesitating young Arnav replied, "Because I
already have one apple in my bag."
already have one apple in my bag."
Moral:
"When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect,
don't think they are wrong. There may be an angle that you have not
understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never
listen with a predetermined notion. Most of the times, we do not try to
understand the view of the other person and we find them wrong, but in
reality it is just the matter of giving other person a chance to explain."
don't think they are wrong. There may be an angle that you have not
understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never
listen with a predetermined notion. Most of the times, we do not try to
understand the view of the other person and we find them wrong, but in
reality it is just the matter of giving other person a chance to explain."
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